Sariah S. Wilson

Royal Valentine is the last in The Improbable Meet-Cute series and this story is a little longer than some of the previous ones. However, it packs a LOT into the one story, moving at rapid speed. At times I had questions as there are multiple questions left unanswered. It’s a fun premise though and certainly a very different kind of meet cute.

Princess Ilaria of a fictional European country bordering Italy just wants some time alone to be anonymous. And where better than Rome? (She’s also got her eye on a photographer she saw from her hotel window). So she convinces her assistant to pretend to be her and sets out on her adventure. But she stupidly takes two zolpidem tablets (which she thinks is aspirin…seriously…) and passes out only to be rescued by said photographer Callum. It turns out he’s Scottish and more than willing to spend the day with her, having no idea who she is. They do lots of touristy things and Ilaria is nearly caught out several times and the evening brings a kiss or two. But then things turn sour. Can Ilaria rediscover the magic she had with Callum?

Ilaria and her family are part of a wider book series by the author. It’s relatively easy to understand what’s going on quickly. However, this novella packed in so much, so fast that some scenes left me with questions. Like why didn’t any of the Italians at the party and tourists recognise Ilaria? Why was Callum’s dialogue written with a Scottish accent when the majority of the characters are European and would also have an accent? (I found writing out Callum’s accent pretty annoying at times). The twist was clever, but the breakup was pretty unnecessary in such a short book. I’d like to read a slower, more fleshed out version of this story – I think it could be more fun. Wilson is good at laying out the scene and keeping the plot moving.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com… (más)

Sariah Wilson's latest rom-com Hypnotized by Love has a protagonist with a unique occupation- Savannah Sinclair practices hypnosis therapy. People come to Savannah for help with anxiety, sleep issues, and more.

As the story opens, Savannah has been censured by the Florida Board of Professional Hypnotists. When a patient came to her office, Savannah felt that something was not quite right and offered to refer him to another hypnotist. This man pursued Savannah romantically and when she demurred, he went online and left bad reviews and eventually filed a complaint stating that she was pursuing him romantically.

This hurt Savannah's business and her confidence. Her twin sister Sierra, an ER nurse, and their friend Bridget are doing their best to cheer Savannah up at a restaurant when in walks Mason Beckett, the guy who broke Savannah's heart in high school and who spread rumors about her that left her devastated.

Mason is a successful writer, and his parents and Savannah's have been best friends forever. The two families spent all their time together. He is the last person Savannah wants to see today.

It turns out that Mason is writing a magazine piece about hypnotherapy and he booked an appointment with Savannah under a different name. Savannah wants nothing to do with Mason, but when his mom asks her to see him as a favor, she relents. She will see him once, but when their session is interrupted before Savannah can bring him out of his trance by a fire in the building, a problem ensues.

Mason turns on the charm, but Savannah wants nothing to do with him romantically, and after the censure incident, has to be very careful not to be seen as anything but professional with Mason. But this is a rom-com, so we know that things will turn romantic.

Hypnotized By Love is a quick and enjoyable read, and I loved the clever banter between Savannah and Mason and Savannah and her twin sister Sierra. There are a lot of humorous quips that had me laughing. I found the hypnosis angle intriguing and different. Sariah Wilson manages to make the usual rom-com tropes refreshing with her witty writing and characters. Hypnotized By Love was a perfect plane read.

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Sariah Wilson's Tour… (más)